WHeras the Quenes Maiestie vpon the earnest intention that she alwayes had and yet hath, to mainteyne the good and auncient amitie betwixt her Maiestie and the kyng of Spayne her good brother, theyr countreys and subiectes, did by her proclamation in September last past, strayghtly commaunde all her Subiectes, tradyng the Seas ey­ther for fyshyng or marchaundize, to vse theyr accustomed maner without any trouble of the sayde kyng of Spaynes subiectes, and also in cases nedefull, to defende them a­gaynst the Frenche, wherof dyd folow specially duryng the time of the herryng fishing, great quietnes and singuler commoditie to the subiectes of the sayde kyng, specially to them of the low countreys, as her Maiestie hath ben certaynlye enfourmed, and is therof glad. Yet sithens that tyme, sundry of the sayd kynges subiectes for priuate lucre, abusyng her Maiesties good intention notified in the sayde proclamation, haue sought to colour the goodes and marchaundize of the French, beyng her Maiesties enemies, both commyng out, and passyng into Fraunce, as apparently hath ben proued in sundry causes duelye examined and tryed, and remaynyng to be shewed. In respect wherof certayne of her Maiesties subiectes, which accordyng to theyr dueties be armed vpon the Seas, to offende the Frenche beyng enemies, haue ben more curi­ous towardes some of the sayde kyng of Spaynes subiectes, in searchyng of the sayde deceiptes of colouryng of the Frenche goodes, and thervpon of late, sundrye complayntes haue ben made by certayne of the sayde Kynges subiectes, that certayne Englyshe men of warre, beyng vppon the Seas, haue molested them, and in some parte spoyled them. Wherof her Maiestie hath vpon continuance of her former intention towardes the mainteinance of good amitie with her sayde good brother the kyng of Spayne and his subiectes, appoynted speciall commissio­ners of trust, to haue an extraordinary power and aucthoritie, to heare, and spedely to determine and redresse all such complaintes, without delay of processe, and with more celeritie then is administred to any of her owne natu­rall subiectes. In which proceding, although her Maiestie vnderstandeth, that her sayde good brothers subiectes receaue much satisfaction: yet for that the numbre of her subiectes and shippes of warre, that are presently vpon the Seas, and are lykely to go to the Seas this spryng, to the offence of the French, are so great and many, and of so diuers porte townes and countreys, as it appeareth very harde, howe a good accompt may be made, of euery of them beyng so many, specially considering the dayly colouryng of the French wares by the sayd kynges subiectes encreaseth manifestly. Therfore her Maiestie styll persistyng in her former fauour towardes her sayde good bro­thers subiectes, and to withstande all disorders agaynst her other frendes, hath for some more suretie towardes them, thought meete by aduise of her counsayle, to prouide as foloweth, whiche is as muche as can be deuised. Fyrst, her Maiestie strayghtly chargeth and commaundeth all maner her subiectes, that shall perceaue eyther on the Seas, or in any Port, Hauen, or Creke of this Realme, or in the Realme of Irelande, any person that may be suspected by any lykely meane, to haue hurt or endamaged any subiect of the kyng of Spaynes, or that shall haue any goodes or marchaundize, that shall seme to haue ben taken from any of the sayde kynges subiectes, duryng these warres with Fraunce, that they and euery of them, shall employe them selues to the best of theyr power, to apprehende, or cause to be apprehended, the persons so suspected to haue offended: for the whiche theyr doinges, they shal haue conuenient rewarde. And yf any shippe shall come into any Port, wherof there shalbe any suspi­tion, that the owners or occupyers therof haue dammaged any of the sayde kynges subiectes: the Uiseadmirall of that coast, or the Maior, or other head officer there, in the absence of the Uiseadmirall, shall cause the sayde ves­sell, and the persons therin suspected, to be stayed, vpon payne yf they shalbe therein negligent, to be punyshed as abbettours to the offendours, and therof, and of the proues or causes of suspition, shall immediatlye geue know­ledge to the Commissioners appoynted for those causes of depredations, that immediate order be taken for tryall of the fact, accordyng to the tenour of theyr commission.

Furthermore her Maiestie wylleth and commaundeth, that no shippe or vessell armed for the warre, that shal [Page] [...] come into any Port or Creke of this Realme, after the publication hereof, shalbe suffred to depart or retourne to the Seas, vntyll the owner, captayne, maister, or such persons as haue to commaunde the sayd shippe or vessell, shall geue good assurance by sufficient sureties to the Uiseadmirall of the coast, or yf he shall not be redyly found, then to the principall officer of the Port, where the shyp or vessell shalbe, or otherwyse as the court of thadmiraltie shall prescribe, and thynke meete in those cases, that they shalbe aunswerable in fourme of Iustice, to satisfie such complayntes and informations, as be, or shalbe exhibited agaynst them, for spoylyng and offendyng the subiectes of the sayde Kyng of Spayne, or of any other nation beyng in amitie with her Maiestie. And yf the parties can not, or wyl not geue such assuraunce: then the shyppes shall not be suffred to depart to the Seas, but knowledge shalbe geuen therof to the foresayde Commissioners. And yf the partyes refusyng to geue assuraunce of suffici­ent sureties, shall seme to be suspected that they haue not behaued them selues well towardes her Maiesties frendes, they shall also be stayed, vntyll the foresayde Commissioners shall determine therof.

And because of late some complayntes haue ben made by certayne Scottysh men in generalitie, agaynst some Englyshe men of warre, for euyll vsyng of them vpon the Seas, wherein particuler orders are alredy geuen for tryall and redresse of the same: Her Maiestie wylleth, that such care be had of the well vsyng of the subiectes of her good syster the Quene of Scotes, as the great amitie betwixt theyr two Maiesties, and theyr countreys and people, doth necessaryly requyre. For that her Maiestie woulde haue nothyng omitted on her parte, that myght conserue, and encrease the same.

Yeuen at her Maiesties Castle of Windsor the .xviii. day of February, in the sixth yere of her highnes raigne. 1563.